Reading Glasses
by vausexual
Summary: Alex had worked part-time in the Chapman family's bookstore for a long time now, but had barely spoken to their daughter. She's not so sure when it starts, but suddenly she's seeing more and more of Piper. [Vauseman; High school years/Bookstore AU]
1. Short-Tempered

A/N: Hey! This is my first fic for the oitnb fandom so I'm a little nervous but I'm excited about this story :) This chapter is a little short but I have some more written so I may update again in the next few days. Enjoy :)

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><p>"Oh my god, do you think so? I mean, I don't know, maybe. I guess he's cute?"<p>

Alex couldn't help but roll her eyes at the inane giggling that echoed through the store. She was nearly at the end of her shift, and also her patience. The boss's daughter had never been her favourite person in all of the four years she'd worked there, but _god_, she had been getting on her nerves recently. Sure, Tuesdays weren't exactly busy- they were never 'busy' by normal standards- the independent bookstore business wasn't exactly booming. She had, however, seen at least two customers trying to check out a book and frowning at the blonde sprawled across the sofa, obviously put off by her projectile word-vomit.

Alex sighed inwardly as she began re-shelving the erotica section. It was truly worrying how disorganised it became each day, especially considering that the majority of their customers were little old ladies.

"No way! Are you serious? He _said_ that? About _me_? Polly! How could you not have told me this?!"

"Jesus fuck," Alex muttered through gritted teeth, tossing the book in her hand carelessly behind her as she moved towards the source of the squealing.

"Piper!"

The blonde visibly jumped at the sound, almost dropped the phone she clutched so tightly.

"Can you just... shut up?"

Piper gaped at the girl standing in front of her. Alex had worked in her dad's store since they were both about thirteen, and they'd barely spoken two words to each other before.

"Uh, what?"

Alex rolled her eyes.

"Your yelling about whats-his-face being _super cute_ is scaring off the customers. I'm sure that he's freaking adorable, but please, go scream about it somewhere else."

Piper's eyes widened, and she wasn't sure whether to feel indignant or amused. She seemed to land somewhere in the middle.

"I'm really sorry for scaring off the_ hoards _of customers in here with my _conversation_. Sue me."

Alex almost laughed, shaking her head. It was painful how spoilt she was.

"Look, the state of your family's business doesn't affect me too much. I could get another job. But if you send the few loyal customers that we do have away, this place is gonna get swallowed so much more quickly. I think that might give _daddy_ some trouble paying your precious phone bills."

She stood her ground, leaning against a shelving unit with her arms folded as Piper seemed to square her up.

"Ugh," She sighed, gathering her things, which Alex hadn't even noticed scattered across the floor around her. Probably distracted by the Uggs. God, she hated Uggs.

"Polly, I'll call you back." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Yes, it's her. Shut up."

Alex didn't even attempt to stifle a laugh as she watched Piper leave, her cheeks almost as pink as her nail polish.

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><p>"Maybe you were a little harsh,"<p>

"Wait, what?"

Alex almost choked on her dinner at her mother's reaction to her run-in with Piper. She'd talked about it for the entirety of the half an hour it took them to make dinner, even though the altercation itself took perhaps five minutes.

"You don't know why she didn't wanna go home! Maybe her mom's a bitch."

"Maybe _she's_ the bitch. Her mom buys her two-hundred-dollar shoes."

"Rich don't mean nice, baby. You know that."

Alex sighed as she looked around the apartment. It was a mess; neither she or her mom had been home for long enough recently to make it look decent. It didn't really take much to mess up the place, though- it was small enough that a few days worth of cups left around or clothes thrown over the back of the sofa made it look like an earthquake had hit. Luckily, they weren't exactly the type of family that entertained.

"Alright. The shoes are ugly anyway."

"She's probably intimidated."

Alex accidentally sent a piece of pasta flying across the room as she burst into laughter.

"By me? What?"

"C'mon, honey," Her mom began as she stood up to start tidying the place up.

"She's little and blonde and harmless and you're all black hair and eyeliner and ripped band shirts from the eighties. If you're a little edgy, she's a fuckin' circle."

Alex frowned a little before gathering up the plates and following her mother out to the kitchen.

"Those shirts are fine. They're also yours."

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><p>Alex headed straight from school to the store the following day, hurrying to relieve Piper's mother from the post. They were an exceptionally tiny business, staffed by Piper's parents, her brother, Alex and another part-time guy called John. Alex rarely ran into him; there was so little staff that it was rare to cross paths for more than a few minutes at a time, with the exception of Christmas. John was out sick today, though, and Mrs Chapman had to work a double shift. Alex couldn't help but feel bad for her- she'd led a privileged life, and was a little clueless about business ventures. She seemed to have gotten in over her head marrying a man who was already married to a failing business. She'd improved over the years, of course, but Alex could tell she still often became overwhelmed. They were cut from completely different cloths, Alex and the Chapman family, but she'd grown attached. Well, to most of them.<p>

She was a good two hours into her shift before Piper turned up again, who was a little quieter this time.

"I'm just here to study," The blonde assured her, raising the textbook in her hands as proof. "I'll shut it."

"Yeah, knock yourself out, kid."

Alex smiled as she caught sight of the little eye roll Piper gave as she walked away.

The key to keeping a store like _Chapman Classics_ alive was knowing your public. Places like this had a niche audience, and they were loyal, creatures of habit. They grew attached, and tended to keep coming back and making purchases to keep the business afoot. Incidentally, they also grew attached to Alex, which is what led her to discover her uncanny ability to charm old ladies. She wasn't too sure if it was a skill that would translate well outside of this work setting, but it was certainly working for her there.

"That was kind of amazing," The comment came from somewhere behind Alex as she was seeing a regular, Mrs Jones, out of the store.

"What?"

Alex turned to see Piper sitting on the counter.

"She came in for one thing and you talked her into buying, what, six books?"

"Hey," Alex raised her hands to indicate her innocence.

"That lady has a problem. She can't stop buying our books. I'm just an enabler."

Piper grinned, her eyes dropping to her hands.

"I'm glad I didn't scare her away, then."

Alex sighed a little, walking forward to lean against the other end of the counter.

"Yeah, sorry about that," she played absently with her glasses as she spoke.

"I was a little harsh, I guess. I just don't really speak your language."

"That's clearly because I'm not a seventy-year-old vintage book fanatic."

Alex smiled, a little unsure what to make of the conversation. Piper was being friendly, and forward about it, but it seemed almost like she was trying too hard. She'd sat upon the counter as though she belonged there, but something in her words carried a hint of discomfort. It was as though the air around her was full, and she was having some trouble pushing through it.

"I was thinking of picking up some shifts here," Piper says eventually. It comes out rushed, like the way someone might confess to an affair.

"Yeah? That's great. It'd help your parents out."

"Mmmhm," She hummed, uninterested in the transparent comment.

"Yeah, I'm looking to develop my skills in manipulating frail old people."

Alex can't hold back a laugh, and Piper lights up.

"I guess you're in the right place, then."


	2. All Work and No Play

A/N: Thanks for the love on the first chapter :) I hope you all stick around. I promise the chapters will get longer soon!

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><p>"Is anyone here?"<p>

Alex looked up from her book at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. She hadn't meant to lose focus, but the new shipment they'd gotten in had included a book she'd been meaning to read for months, and she'd gotten lost in it. She placed it back on the shelf as she walked towards the front of the store.

"Yeah, hi, can I help you?"

The brunette stood in the doorway looked her over in the way a rich person might look at a hobo or a cop at a guy in a hoodie. It was disconcerting, and there was something she couldn't place in her expression that Alex just didn't like.

"Uh, is Piper here?"

"Nope."

"Shit," The girl turned away from Alex, quickly pulling out her phone.

"Are you Polly?"

She raised an eyebrow, looking back up.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Nothing. Just a hunch."

Alex smirked slightly to herself as she moved back to her post, turning back moments later to see Polly walking back down the street. It took her a moment to process what had been strange about the interaction- she was looking for Piper. Alex really hadn't pegged Piper for the type to ever be without her phone, let alone to ignore her best friend. It was none of her business, though- she allowed the thought to drift to the back of her mind as she walked back through the store.

"Psst, Alex."

"What the fuck?"

Alex jumped at the sound from behind her. She turned to see Piper kneeling behind a display, a finger pressed to her lips as she shushed her.

"Be quiet. Is she gone?"

"Yeah. Why are you hiding?" She watched as Piper stood up and brushed herself down, peering out of the glass door for any sign of Polly. She was wearing blue jeans, a black shirt and long cardigan- and those Uggs again. Her long hair was curled into ringlets at the bottom, and her make-up a little heavier than usual. She really captured the concept of dressing up whilst trying not to look dressed up. Her phone was clutched in her palm- at least she'd been right about that- and vibrating like crazy.

"I was supposed to have a date. Well, I do. I'm not going, though."

She glanced at her phone and then at the door again.

"A double date. With Polly. She keeps setting me up. It's the worst."

"Why did you get ready for it if you're not going?"

Piper rolled her eyes so dramatically it was almost childlike, drawing an unseen smile to Alex's lips.

"Polly told my mom about the date when she was at my place yesterday. She did my make up- it's ridiculous, I know. So my mom thinks I'm on the date and Polly thinks I'm... I'll think of something. I'm just really hoping they don't cross paths on this."

"Huh," Alex was unable to hide her amused grin at this point, extremely entertained by Piper's unease. She had to hold back laughter every time Piper heard a noise and jumped.

"So what are you actually doing right now?"

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><p>"It's just some guy. Larry. He seems fine."<p>

"No great love story starts with 'he seems fine.'"

An hour or so later, Piper had managed to pry Alex away from work. They were in the seating area at the back of the store, sat at opposite ends of the sofa Piper had been infamously sprawled across several days before. Alex was not usually one to give people her full attention- she preferred to be preoccupied, to have an excuse to bow out of the conversation at any point. Piper had been persistent, though. She had appeared on the other side the shelving units Alex was filling so she had nowhere else to look but at her, and attempted to strike up conversation until she wasn't visible anymore. Truthfully, it was endearing, and Alex couldn't resist when she moved over to the sofa and jokingly patted the seat next to her. She obliged, though bringing a stack of books with her- it was a crutch, of sorts, to not have to be fully engaged in conversation. One-on-one conversation always felt too intense to her.

"No, but he was harmless. I'm not expecting to find an epic love story in high school. He probably would have been too scared to even hold my hand."

Alex grinned. Piper wasn't much like she had originally thought- in that she wasn't entirely spoilt and vacuous, and had some realistic and surprisingly insightful views.

"And we wouldn't have had anything in common. The guys Polly sets me up with are usually comic book geeks. She likes to one-up me."

"What exactly is one-up to a comic book geek?"

"The ugliest guy on the football team."

Piper grinned back at her as she laughed, and Alex looked at her for maybe a few seconds longer than she should have. She noticed the slight glint that appeared in her eyes when she made her laugh, and the way she gripped her phone a little tighter if there was even a hint of a silence. It was mirrored in the way Alex turned away and thumbed the pages of the book in her lap.

"What about you?"

Alex blinked, a deer caught in headlights.

"Uh, what?"

"Are you, like, seeing anyone?"

The question caught her off guard, and her eyes returned to the book in front of her as she cleared her throat uncomfortably.

"Nope."

It's a little too blunt and she regrets the way it sounded as soon as it leaves her lips.

"I'm surprised."

She raised an eyebrow inquisitively as her gaze returned to Piper. She was still smiling at her, maintaining eye contact despite the nerves evident in her body language, clearly unfazed by her response.

"What?"

"Oh, come on," She glanced away for less than a second, beginning to toss her phone between her hands.

"You've got that pretty but mysterious, kinda unapproachable thing. Guys love that."

"Well, uh, thanks," Alex laughed, lifting her glasses slightly, and it comes across similar to the way someone might raise a glass in toast.

"But that's not for me."

Piper twirled her hair absently. "Dating?"

"Guys."

Alex was expecting a silence or a look, but Piper was once again undeterred.

"Oh. Well, alright." She continued to smile, and it was, much to Alex's surprise, not at all patronising. It was then that Alex realised how badly she had misjudged Piper- she wasn't spoilt or self-obsessed, and seemed much more sure of herself than could be said for most teenagers. Particularly ones with rich, expectant parents trying to run a failing business.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure?"

Alex closed the book in her hand, shifting towards Piper slightly, unconsciously giving her full attention to the blonde.

"This place isn't exactly a goldmine... where the hell does all your money come from?"

Piper covered her mouth as she laughed slightly, caught off guard by the question.

"Sorry. Is that, like, invasive? I've just always wondered."

"No, no, it's fine!" She grinned, waving a hand to brush off her concern.

"Both of my parents grew up rich. My dad's parents founded a huge cigarette company, and I can't even remember what my mom's parents did. Anyway, they're all dead. So they both got a ton of inheritance."

"Oh. I'm... sorry?"

Piper shrugged. "I never knew them."

Alex was almost taken aback by the ease with which Piper spoke about her grandparents dying, but it was clear that she only knew of them in the abstract. When she thought about it, she realised that she'd seen Piper in the same room as one of her parents perhaps twice, and the increasing amount of time she spent in the store suggested that she didn't enjoy their company. Alex's family might have been small, but they were as close as they could possibly be- she only had her mom, but Piper had an entire family network and she barely knew them. She couldn't really grasp that.

"Do you wanna go and get coffee or something?"

Alex smiled, raising the book in her lap.

"I'm supposed to be working, remember?"

"All work and no play makes... someone a something. I guess I'm not as well-read as you."

Alex grinned again, using the book in her hands to hide the heat she felt rushing to her cheeks.

"I'm gonna go get coffee."

"Alright."

She clutched the book to her chest for a moment, a smile still lingering on her face. She couldn't understand how she found talking to Piper so effortless, when most of the time she felt like talking to anyone was a chore. She couldn't understand how Piper could have gotten past her hard exterior so easily- so quickly. Despite herself, she found her eyes wandering to the door, waiting for her to return.

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><p>"Three hours? Are you serious?"<p>

"Yeah. We talked for three hours. The entire remains of my shift."

Alex kept her eyes fixed on the road as she filled her best friend in on her evening. It was seven in the morning and, as always, Nicky occupied the passenger seat of Alex's truck, engaged in the lifelong battle of trying to pat down her wildly untameable hair.

"Shit, that's intense."

"I know."

"What'd you talk about?"

"I don't know, everything- hey, no smoking in the truck." Alex frowned at her friend, looking away from the road for a second to snatch the unlit cigarette from her mouth.

"What, are you worried I'm going to damage this _beautiful_, _elegant_, two-hundred-year-old piece of shit?"

"Fuck you. Don't talk about Lola like that."

She ran her hands over the steering wheel fondly.

"Jesus, Vause. It's not like this thing is young and innocent. John and Yoko probably banged in here and did coke off the dashboard."

Alex rolled her eyes, keeping one hand on the steering wheel and raising the other to give Nicky the finger.

"I'm gonna stop giving you rides if you carry on like this."

"Yeah yeah," She laughed, pushing Alex's hand away.

"So tell me more about blondie."

"How'd you know she was blonde?"

"... Are you kidding?"

Alex sighed as she pulled into the school's car park, staring hatefully at the building looming over them, finding herself regretting that she didn't have work later that day.


	3. Collisions and Confessions

A/N: Thanks so much for the nice words about this story :) I honestly live for things like that. I hope this chapter is as fun to read as it was to write.

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><p>It was seven in the morning, not long after she woke up, when she first thought of Piper that day. She thought of her as she picked up the book discarded on her bedroom floor that had dropped from her hands as she'd fallen asleep. She thought of her again on her way to school as she saw a group of girls walking together, at least three of them wearing Uggs. Where she once might have frowned or made a sarcastic comment, she smiled fondly . She thought of her again when she sat down in class, not because it was prompted this time, but because she just did. There was nothing in particular about this lecture on world war two that reminded her of Piper, other than the fact that she might have welcomed a distraction from it. That was what Piper was, at this point- a distraction. From work, from school, from all the shit she had to get done. She'd never really felt like she had room for new friendships- she had her hands full with Nicky as it was. There was something about her, though, that had Alex considering that rearranging to make room for one more. That was the thought that set off all of the other thoughts- because Alex didn't take to people so easily. She had hardened over the years, but even when she was younger she had been a tough nut to crack. It had taken Nicky several weeks of pursuit to get a real conversation out of her all that time ago- but Piper had managed it in a few days. It was... different. She was different.<p>

"Vause. Hey, Vause. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Alex blinked a few times, returning to reality as she felt an elbow pressed into her arm. Nicky was staring at her expectantly, leaning over to her from the side of her desk, speaking in a hushed tone so as not to draw the attention of the teacher.

"Nothing. What?"

"We're going out tonight."

"Ugh, no."

She returned her attention back to the elderly man at the front of the classroom, warranting a slap on the arm from her best friend.

"What the fuck?"

"I fuckin' need you tonight, Vause. I need a wing-woman."

"That is not happening."

It wasn't as though Alex was opposed to nights out- she was just opposed to _Nicky's _idea of a night out. She went to the only clubs around town that would let in a seventeen-year-old without a fake ID- the kind of places that made you feel like you could contract Chlamydia from just looking at it.

"Look, Vause," Nicky's tone softened slightly, and she looked at her with surprising sincerity.

"I really fuckin' like this girl. I don't know why. But she's gonna be there tonight and I got one shot at this. Help a girl out, y'know? What are friends for if not to help each other get laid?"

Alex sighed, rolling her eyes as she leaned back slightly in her chair, considering it.

"I mean, its not like you can't squeeze this into your schedule."

"Fuck off. I was almost on board."

Alex knew she was right, though- Nicky knew her work schedule, and was pretty much her entire social life herself. She wasn't so much anti-social as she was anti-people, or at least the people at their school. Definitely not Alex's crowd, and not Nicky's, either- only she was not afraid to delve into the world of extremely questionable nightlife.

"Fine, alright, fine. Don't make me regret it. On a scale of one to the Litch, how many diseases am I going to get from this place?"

"Please, this is a five-star, joint, Vause... Okay, like, three at most. How do you feel about herpes? Don't look at me like that."

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><p>At around eight that evening, Alex found herself glaring into her wardrobe for a good five minutes. She didn't really know what would be considered appropriate attire for helping her best friend get laid in a skeevy club, but was fairly sure it couldn't be found in her possession. It was the kind of question she would've asked her mom if she'd been around, but of course she wasn't- working three jobs did that to you. Eventually coming to the conclusion that the less skin she showed, the better, she threw on a pair of black skinny jeans and combat boots, a plain white shirt and a leather jacket. Already certain that she would not be able to get through the night without a few drinks, she elected to call a cab and give Lola a rest for the night.<p>

"This place is fucking gross," were the first words out of Alex's mouth as she entered the club. The place was pulsating with the sexual tension of the drunk and desperate, a theme accentuated by unflattering strobe lighting, sticky floors and a questionable smell.

"I'll have a margherita," were the next. She lingered near a bar stool for a moment before deciding that it would probably be inadvisable to sit down.

"There you are!" Nicky appeared behind her just as her drink was slid across the bar into her hand.

"Here I am," She deadpanned back.

"Alright, sunshine. Lets get some drinks in you."

Nicky leaned over and slapped the surface to get the bartender's attention.

"She'll have another." She winked as Alex took her first sip.

"Here's the plan," Several drinks later, Alex was slightly less apathetic about the whole situation as Nicky talked over her game plan, gesturing to a girl sat at the other end of the bar. "Go over and pretend to be lookin' for me, say something to get her to look around for me and then I'll show up and turn on my irresistible charm. What's with the face, Vause? I charmed you into doing this, didn't I?"

"You're about as charming as finding dog shit on your shoe after you've walked all the way around your house."

"That's great. Just get all that shit out before you go over. Give me your best shot."

Alex rolled her eyes as she downed the rest of her third drink, giving Nicky a slight shove as she walked around her. The girl in question was innocent-looking, with short, slightly curled dark hair and a sweet smile.

"Hey, Lorna, right?" Alex smiled as she leaned over her with one arm on the bar.

"Yeah?"

"Okay, well, look, you see that girl over there? The one with the crazy hair?" She followed Alex's gaze over to Nicky.

"She has a crush on you. In a minute she'll walk over here and try to say something smooth, and you should just go with it. As much as she's an asshole to me, she's great. Enjoy."

With that Alex walked away, leaving Lorna looking around blankly. She flashed Nicky a grin and over-enthusiastic thumbs up as she caught her eye, before turning away and bumping straight into someone.

"Shit! I'm sorr- Piper?"

Alex had instinctively grabbed Piper's arms to steady her as they'd crashed into each other, and found an amused smile crossing her lips as she watched Piper teeter back and forth.

"_Alex_!" She yelled, her voice slower than usual and full of excitement, a goofy grin on her face.

"Oh my god, don't tell my mom I'm here."

Alex could only laugh at her- Piper's eyes were wide with concern, her words slurring together. She was completely wasted, still holding on to Alex's arms to steady herself.

"Why would I tell your fucking mom? How many drinks have you had?"

"_All_ of the drinks."

"I see."

Still, Piper made no effort to move, holding on to Alex with that same goofy grin.

"You were not at work yesterday, Alex."

"I don't work on Thursdays, Piper."

"Well, you should."

"Okay. Do you think its time to go home yet?"

"I am _fine_."

She let go of Alex's arms for a moment and walked a few steps away from her before deciding against it, almost falling again when she turned back around too quickly.

"Polly has my keys."

"Of course she does. Stay here."

She walked the drunk blonde over to a bar stool before setting off to try and find Polly. It was certainly an ordeal trying to manoeuvre her way through the club, even more so when she eventually found Polly in a dark corner with her tongue down someone's throat.

"Hey. Bonnie and fucking Clyde. Look alive."

She prodded the girl's arm to get her attention, standing back with her arms folded for the few seconds it took her to disentangle.

"What?"

"I'm taking Piper home, she's a mess. Gimme her keys."

"Ugh, good," She sighed as she dug around in her absurdly large purse.

"She's so annoying when she's drunk."

Alex flashed her a sarcastic smile as she caught the keys tossed her way.

"You're a great friend, Holly."

* * *

><p>The entire cab journey had been an ordeal, what with Piper's consistent giggling and attempts to give the driver a fake address. There was a moment where Piper stopped, though, and her expression was solemn, and she twirled a piece of Alex's hair through her fingers. It became difficult for Alex to hear her own thoughts over the blood pounding in her ears, saying that she was just drunk, she was just one of those touchy-feely drunks- it meant nothing. It was just a little difficult to shake the feeling of Piper's fingers lingering against her cheek.<p>

"Piper, hey, we're here." It seemed that at some point in the last thirty seconds- the final seconds of the journey- she'd decided to fall asleep.

"Good morning."

"Piper, c'mon. Don't be an ass."

Alex passed ten dollars through to the driver before climbing out and walking around to pull Piper out. She managed to get her in the door with relative ease, and was about to leave when Piper grabbed her hand and insisted that she couldn't possibly get up the stairs by herself.

"I am so sorry Alex. I am sorry. I am the worst."

"It's fine, Piper. Seriously."

"No!" She whispered insistently, trying to make her point as dramatically as possible without waking her parents up.

"Seriously, I was about to leave. If anything, you improved my night."

They had reached Piper's bedroom by then, and she had chosen to sit down on her instead of collapsing across it, patting the space next to her as she had done in the store several days earlier.

"I need to tell you something," She grinned, covering her mouth with both of her hands in an attempt not to laugh that makes Alex's heart jump.

"Yeah?"

"Come _here_," She smiles, wobbling a little as she sits up straight, waiting for Alex to shuffle closer to her.

"You are _hot_," She slurred into Alex's ear, before collapsing back on to the bed. Alex grinned, her cheeks turning red as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"And I don't get it!" Piper exclaims, raising one finger in the air as though she was having a grand revelation.

"Because I don't think girls are hot. I think they're pretty, or that I want her hair, or I her shoes. But you're _hot_, Alex. How interesting." She stared up at the ceiling with a bemused look on her face.

"Uh, okay, Piper," Alex laughed slightly, smiling down at her fondly as she stood up.

"I'm gonna go now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ah, tomorrow."

She managed to slip out of the door before Piper began her rendition of the popular show tune.

Alex thought about Piper for the rest of the night, and the last words out of her mouth were something along the lines of "I am _so_ screwed."


	4. Beginnings

A/N: Well hello. I just want to say a massive thanks for all the lovely reviews! You're all amazing and you make my day. I'm glad you're all enjoying reading this as much as I'm loving writing it :) I finally managed to crack out a longer chapter here. Please let me know if there's anything you think I could improve in my writing- I'm more of a screenwriter than anything else so I worry that the dialogue may carry it a little too much- description and whatnot isn't my strong point as I'm not too used to it! Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and thanks for all the love.

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><p>"She fuckin' said <em>what<em>?"

"'You're hot'. Just straight up, like that."

Nicky cackled, throwing her head back against Alex's sofa.

"Are you hearing this Diane?" She called out to the kitchen to Alex's mom.

Alex rolled her eyes fondly- Nicky and her mom laughing at her together was a regular occurrence on a Saturday morning. Well, what Nicky thought was a Saturday morning- to Alex it seemed suspiciously like two in the afternoon.

"She was wasted, she didn't mean it," Alex continued as her mom walked in expectantly, having just changed from one work uniform into another.

"Drunk mouths speak sober truths, honey." She smiled as she fluttered around the apartment, collecting her things and tidying up as she went along.

"You know it's true," Nicky winked.

"And you _are_ hot, Vause. We both know I'd be all over that if you didn't get on my damn nerves so much."

"Fuck off," She laughed, throwing a cushion in her friend's direction.

"But seriously, y'know, that opens up some doors. Now you know she wants you."

"She does not _want_ me-"

"She wants you, honey."

Alex groaned at her mom's input. It was bad enough her having to tell Nicky this stuff- let alone having her mother hear it entirely unfiltered. That was just the kind of world they lived in, though- no secrets, ever.

"You didn't see her. She was completely out of it. There's no way."

"I think the lady doth protest too much," Nicky winked, receiving a slap on the arm in response.

"Look, you don't know her. She's just kinda eccentric."

"Oh, so you know her now? A week ago she was just your boss's 'bitch daughter'."

Alex paused for a moment. It was true- a week ago all she'd known was passing comments from Piper's mother about her being _lazy_ or _ungrateful_, a face in that family photo behind the checkout, one side of phone conversations that she'd recently discovered were almost entirely artificial. She already knew that there were several Piper Chapmans walking around. There was the one that her mother knew; she was quiet and reserved, cold and calculated when she needed to be. There was the one that Polly knew; a vacuous mirror-image of her friend's bland personality- she cared about boys and clothes and _herself_, first and foremost. Sure, Alex's Piper- or, the Piper that she knew- cared about those things too. She just cared about other things a lot more. The Piper Chapman that Alex knew was a force of nature, charming you into enthrallment each and every time she stumbled over a word or tripped over her own two feet. The Piper that Alex knew was _real_ and _interesting _and made her look forward to stacking books three times a week for more than just the smell of the pages. Of course, she had no way of knowing if her Piper was the real Piper, or if she was just another construct of herself catered specifically to Alex...

She just kind of had a feeling about her.

"... Yeah. I do know her."

* * *

><p>Two hours into her shift, as she was talking to a customer, Alex heard the quiet sound of the door opening and closing, followed by hushed footsteps moving through the store. She refrained from chuckling as she tried to keep her attention on the man in front of her, remembering a time that <em>she<em> had been so hungover she'd had to tiptoe everywhere just to not give herself a headache.

She wasn't usually short of patience when talking to customers- despite how quick-tempered she could be in certain situations- but she found herself acutely aware of the painfully long amount of time this guy had been talking for. He was at that age between being considered middle-aged and being considered old, greying in most ways, with frown lines set in so hard he appeared constantly pissed off. There was nothing wrong with him, though. He spoke politely, with genuine interest, not belittling Alex's knowledge due to her age as she'd had to deal with on several occasions. It was just that her mind was elsewhere- specifically, the sofa at the back of the store.

Several minutes later, the store was finally empty, and she made her way quietly over to the seating area.

She found Piper curled up on the cream sofa they'd frequented before, her head resting on the hoodie Alex had discarded there when she'd arrived earlier. She wasn't asleep, nor did she seem completely awake. She was just staring aimlessly.

"Hey, sunshine," Alex whispered, a raspy chuckle escaping as she watched Piper turn towards her, her eyes widening significantly.

"Oh, god," She groaned, turning away and covering her face with her hands.

"Oh, fuck."

Alex only laughed, leaning back against one of the units as Piper continued to groan and curse. After a few moments, she sat up slowly, rubbing her sleep-addled eyes. It was the first time Alex had seen Piper without make-up, and unsurprisingly, despite the hangover, she was still gorgeous. Only then there was the added element of innocence in her face that made Alex weak.

"I am really sorry, Alex." She said eventually, looking up at her with a sincere expression- not an embarrassed one.

"Hmm. Where have I heard those words before?" Alex stroked her chin sarcastically, unable to pass up the opportunity to mock her.

"Oh. From you. Last night. Ten thousand times."

"Right," Piper nodded as she reached for the take-out coffee cup she'd placed on the wooden table that was centred in the space. Alex smiled slightly as she noticed it; Piper had woken up, bought coffee, and gone straight to the store.

"I'm still sorry." She added moments later, shrugging as she placed the cup back down.

"Not just to you. Also to me. I think I'm dying."

"Drink some Gatorade," Alex laughed. Piper was being melodramatic, lying back on the sofa with her hand thrown across her forehead in a faux-faint.

"Do you remember anything?"

She frowned for a moment, staring off into space.

"I remember Polly abandoning me, some guy buying me shots, bumping into you- literally- and a cab journey. Vaguely."

Alex crossed the space and sat down next to her, an amused smirk on her face. As far as she could tell, Piper had no idea what she'd said.

"So, you don't remember hitting on me?"

Piper spluttered, almost choking on her coffee.

"I'm... what?"

Alex burst into laughter at Piper's reaction- her eyes were wider than she had even thought humanly possible.

"Oh fuck. Oh god. It's coming back to me."

She threw her head back against the sofa again, her eyes closed, a pained expression on her face.

"Oh my god. I literally could not have embarrassed myself any- _stop laughing_."

Piper's face scrunched into a frown, her cheeks burning red, and all Alex could do was think _fuck that's adorable_ and continue to laugh. It was only when she had the sudden urge to kiss the frown off of her face that she realised how far gone she was already.

"If it helps, I managed to escape just as you started singing show tunes."

Piper's shrugged at the comment.

"I do that every time. I don't know what it is."

Alex looked at her lap, failing to fight off another smitten grin. Of _course_ Piper sang show tunes every time she got drunk- of course she had just accepted it as a fact of life. The girl was completely ridiculous in every way, and all Alex wanted right then was to uncover more, to keep being surprised by her.

"I guess it could have been worse," Piper sighs a few moments later, staring off at nothing in particular.

"I could have bumped into someone much less accommodating. I could have said that stuff to someone who _wasn't_ hot."

Alex's smile curved into an amused, fond smirk as she looked at her, having realised that she had essentially just said it again.

Suddenly Piper was staring directly at her, their gazes interlocked for a moment that felt much longer than it possibly could have been. Alex's smile grew wider as she noticed Piper's eyes drop to her lips for barely a second before turning away.

"Shit," Piper laughed, embarrassed, running her hands over her own flushed cheeks.

"Do you, uh, I mean... do you want to..."

"Piper." Alex placed her hand over the blonde's that was resting between them, forcing her to look up into her eyes.

"_Relax_."

Her eyes darted to their hands, before settling back upon Alex, her expression sincere and sure, somehow able to calm her.

"Do you want to get coffee or something?"

"No."

Piper's head snapped up, her eyebrows furrowing in concerned confusion.

"I'm kidding, fuck." Alex laughed at her, loving how easily she could affect her. She was glad to know that it wasn't a one-way street.

"Of course I wanna get coffee."

Their gazes interlocked for another seemingly perpetual moment, before the light chime of the door opening caught their attention.

"Ah," she whispered, still looking into the blonde's eyes, unable to resist pushing a loose strand of her behind her ear before standing up.

"Duty calls."

Piper smiled to herself as she watched her walked away.

"Fuck," She whispered to no one in particular.

"I am way too hungover for this shit."

* * *

><p>Piper had left the store with few words several minutes after that, falling over herself in a jumble of words about homework and curfews, despite the fact that she knew Alex would see right through it. They both knew that she was going to home to either pass out or throw up. Probably both. They'd had a surprisingly coherent conversation, but the blonde was still a mess. In spite of herself, Alex could not stop smiling for the rest of the day, which made her feel like a complete idiot- even if it did help her sell a few books.<p>

At around eight, she had been home for barely half an hour before Nicky turned up. She had known it was her before even approaching the door- the girl had a very... individual approach to knocking. It went something like two heavy slams on the door and "Vause, let me the fuck in. It's fucking freezing. Tell the guy who owns this shitpile to splash out on some goddamn heating."

"The apartments are heated on the inside," She began before even opening the door.

"You know, where the people are. It's also November and you're wearing a fucking skirt. Since when do you even wear skirts?"

"Hey," Nicky shot back as she walked confidently into the apartment, heading straight for the fridge, knowing full well that Diane always brought home leftovers.

"I love a good skirt."

Alex rolled her eyes as she watched her friend dive head-first into their food before walking away to the living area, knowing that Nicky would follow once she'd adequately stuffed herself with reheated Friendly's.

"Hey, remember Lorna?" Nicky began as she sat down next to Alex, a bowl of chips in hand.

"She fuckin' asked me out again today."

Alex raised her eyebrows in surprise- she really hadn't expected her little stunt at the club to work.

"Yeah, who would've thought your shitty wingmanship would work out?"

"I don't think 'wingmanship' is a real thing."

"I don't think I could give a shit, Vause."

Alex almost jumped at the sound of her phone buzzing against the table.

"Well that's new," Nicky laughed,

"You order a pizza or something?"

"Oh, fuck off." Alex brushed her off as she reached for the phone.

"Hello?"

_"Alex? Of course its you. No other voice in the world sounds like that. Oh my god. I mean hi."_

"Piper?"

_"Yes! It's me!"_

Alex watched Nicky's eyes widen with amused surprise as she listened to Piper babble.

"How did you even get my number?"

_"I, uh,"_ There was a few seconds silence on the other end.

"Piper?"

_"Yes, I, uh. I stole it out of my mom's phone. Sorry."_

"Oh my god," Her hand flew to her mouth in an effort to muffle her laughter, and to hopefully hide her blush from Nicky.

_"Yeah, I know. She has you in her phone as 'Alex Glasses Bookstore'. I didn't know that was your full name."_

"Well, it's a family name."

Alex stood up to leave the room as Nicky started wiggling her eyebrows suggestively and making some truly questionable hand gestures.

"Why are you calling?" She asked once she was out of the room, fully aware that if she didn't push Piper to the point she'd never get to it.

_"Um, I was wondering if you wanted to get that, uh, coffee."_

"Now?"

_"Yes."_

"You want to get coffee at nine o'clock at night?"

_"... I'm now seeing the problem with that. Well, uh, it doesn't have to be coffee..." _

She smiled fondly, absently biting her lip before Nicky came storming into the room.

"Ask her to come over!"

_"What was that?"_ Piper asked, her voice laced with nervous concern.

"Nothing. My dog." Alex sighed as she attempted to swat Nicky away.

"Hang on a sec, Pipes," She turned to Nicky then, covering the phone with her hand, not even aware of the nickname that had just slipped out- Piper, however, _really_ was.

"Just invite her over. I'll leave the second she arrives, Vause, I won't third wheel you lovebirds. C'mon."

Alex found her desire to see Piper outweighed her utter disdain at the idea of Nicky meeting her. She hid it well, but she was positively swooning over Piper's urgency to see her again.

"Shit. Fine."

She lifted the phone back to her ear, using her other hand to give Nicky the finger as she performed a victory dance.

"You wanna come over?"

* * *

><p>"Are you wearing your sexy underwear, Vause?"<p>

"Fuck off."

"Don't wanna let blondie down on her first time with a woman."

"Fuck off. Nothing's gonna happen. We barely know each other. And _you're_ here."

They were interrupted by an erratic knock at the door. Nicky stretched out on the sofa as Alex went to open the door.

Piper smiled up at her for a few moments before speaking. She was dressed modestly, in dark jeans and an oversized sweater. She had put on some make-up, though minimal, since earlier that day, which served to accentuate her strikingly blue eyes.

"Hi," She said eventually.

"Hi," Alex stepped back and gestured with her arm for her to enter.

Piper entered with tentative steps, trying to subtly scan over the apartment.

"Well, hello there." She jumped at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, her eyes then finding Nicky across Alex's sofa.

"Oh. Hello?"

"Hey. I would move, but... Well, I don't want to."

Alex walked over to the sofa to swat Nicky in the head.

"Ignore her. She was _just leaving_."

Nicky sat up slightly, leaning over the back of the sofa to look at Piper.

"I don't know what you see in her, blondie. Vause here is a terrible hostess."

Piper smiled awkwardly, unsure how to react to this overly-confident stranger.

Nicky smirked to herself, pleased to have ruffled some feathers. She eventually took the hint after looking up at Alex and being met by a death glare.

"As the lady said, I was just leaving."

She made a show of getting up and walking through the apartment as slowly as possible, making a final pit stop at the fridge.

"Be safe, kids!" She called with a wink as she walked out of the door.

Alex sighed dramatically through the silence that followed.

"I apologise for her. Seriously. I tried to get her to fuck off, but she wanted to meet you."

"It's fine," Piper smiled genuinely as she crossed the room to join Alex on the sofa.

"So why the phone call?" Alex shifted in her seat to fully face the blonde.

"Am I just that irresistible that you can't stay away for a whole day?"

"Something like that," Piper grinned, unable to meet her eyes.

"I kind of needed to escape my house, and this was the only place I really wanted to be."

"In my crappy little apartment?" She joked, using humour to gloss over the feelings she didn't want to reveal just yet.

"This place is actually adorable." She looked around the place, admiring it, and she seemed to believe it.

"Alright," Alex laughed, brushing off the comment.

"Why did you need to escape your house?"

"My family aren't the greatest people," Piper admitted easily, surprising herself with how effortless she found telling this to Alex.

"They like to let their problems build up, drink a lot, yell at each other about anything but the actual problem, then pretend it never happened. It's hostile."

Alex, unsure how to respond, ran her hand down Piper's arm in what she hoped was a comforting touch. Piper caught her hand at the last second, and their fingers entwined for a moment.

"I don't know why I told you that," She laughed nervously, looking everywhere but into the other girl's eyes.

"I'm glad you did."

Their eyes met again and lingered for what felt like too long before Piper shifted closer to her, her eyes dropping away again.

"Um... Could I..."

"Piper," Alex said softly, placing a hand under the blonde's chin, gently lifting her head back to her eye-level. Her voice was level and calm, her expression similarly so, despite the increasingly erratic beating of her heart.

"_Relax_,"

Piper slowly pressed her lips against Alex's, so gently she barely felt it at first, like dipping your toes into the ocean to test the temperature. She pulled away for just a second before kissing her again, her hands placed tentatively in her hair. Alex smiled into the kiss, her hands curving around the small of the blonde's back.

It lasted just less than a minute, and it was Alex who eventually pulled away.

"Wow. Okay." Piper whispered, their faces still so close together that their noses almost touched, and Alex could feel the smile that radiated off of Piper's face.

"Well-"

"You don't have to fill _every_ silence, you know."


	5. Last-Minute Plans

A/N: HELLO! I am so sorry this took so long and that it's not longer to make up for that. I could blame the delay on the fact I moved house this weekend but it's mostly because I am trash.

THANK YOU for the amazing response to this, almost 50 reviews and over 100 followers on four chapters is absolutely mental, so thank you for all being so amazing (and patient!)

There's a bit of a perspective shift in this chapter- it's Piper-centric rather than Alex- so I hope that comes across okay. Let me know what you think :)

P.S I will try to be less shit with updates from now on (but no promises because as I said, I am trash)

* * *

><p>Piper's love-struck haze didn't last too long. She walked into her home smiling, and took a moment to lean up against the door and smile to herself, to re-absorb the events of her evening. She kissed Alex. <em>She<em> had kissed _Alex_. Piper had known there were some feelings developing recently, but she also knew that she was completely fucking terrified of them- she didn't know anything about relationships, particularly relationships with girls, but more importantly, she didn't know anything about _Alex_. She'd spent the last few years looking at Alex the way little girls looked at teenagers- intimidation, admiration, wonderment. As much as she had wanted something to happen, she hadn't thought it would be so soon, or that she would be the one to initiate it. That was just another thing that made her grow fonder of the raven-haired girl; there was no pressure, and her hard exterior melted away around Piper. She was, of course, still intimidated by her. Who wouldn't be? She was strikingly gorgeous- or _hot_, as Piper had so bluntly put it- with a voice that could start fires and a smile that could end wars. She was strong, smart, passionate, and she'd read everything. She hadn't been handed anything in life- from an early age, she'd worked for everything she had and appreciated every little bit of it. Piper knew; she had watched her do it.

It was just another thing she didn't get to over-think, as much as she might've wanted to, as after standing against the door for a small while the stale smell of gin and cigarette smoke reached her. She sighed as she walked through the brightly lit hall through to living room, where she found her mother asleep on the white leather sofa, a bottle at her feet and the end of a cigarette between her fingers. She silently thanked it for burning itself out instead of burning the house down before removing the offending items.

She didn't bother waking her mother up- it would only encourage a conversation she didn't want to have, and it wasn't like it would be the first time the woman had passed out there. Instead, Piper simply made her way up to bed, hoping not to wake anybody up. She had ended up staying at Alex's for much longer than she had thought- what had seemed like an hour had been closer to three- and it was suddenly extremely late. After they kissed, they had talked for hours. Alex had kissed her again before she left- with a little more insistence than the first, her hands placed at the back of her neck to pull her that much closer.

Piper couldn't help smiling to herself as she lay in bed, clutching her phone to her chest, the encounter with her passed-out mother not taking quite the toll it usually did.

* * *

><p>"Shit," Piper groaned, woken up by the sharp sound of her phone ringing. She rolled over, feeling around next to her for it, her eyes still closed. She only groaned louder when her flailing hand sent the phone flying to the floor, forcing her to open her eyes and swing her legs over the side of the bed, sitting up.<p>

"Oh, fuck off," She breathed as she caught sight of the caller ID before answering.

"What do you want, Polly?"

_"Wow. Good morning to you, too."_

"I was sleeping."

_"It's eleven, Piper. Get a fucking grip."_

"Ugh," She scoffed, rubbing her barely open eyes with her free hand. "It's still morning."

_"Yeah, whatever. Get your lazy ass out of bed because we've got plans in two hours."_

"I'm busy, Polly."

Piper rolled her eyes at the sound of her friend's obnoxious laughter.

_"Fuck off are you busy, Piper! Would you really rather hang out at that gross old bookstore than hang out with me and the guys?"_

_Fuck yes_, she answered internally.

"Who are the guys?"

_"Pete and Larry!"_

"Oh. Then, yes, I really would. Anyway, that's not what I'm doing."

_"What are you doing?"_

"I have... a... um... date. With a friend. A friend date."

_"You don't have any other friends."_

"Oh, fuck off."

_"You know what I mean. Just... text me if your... _plans_ fall through."_

She sighed, clenching her phone tighter in her hand in annoyance.

"They won't. Bye."

Piper carelessly flung her phone back on to the carpeted floor before burying herself in her bed once again, huffing as she realised she was far too awake to fall back to sleep this late.

"Fucking Polly," She sighed as she reluctantly got up and made her way into her en-suite bathroom to shower.

Tossing her phone back and forth between her hands was beginning to get old after a few minutes. Piper had made the first move _twice_ already, and even though she knew it was stupid, she thought doing it again might make her seem desperate, so she resisted- despite how much she wanted her fictional plans to become real. Every so often her phone would buzz and her heart would jump, only to fall again when she saw it was just Polly harassing her to go out. Sighing in relief when her phone remained silent for long enough that she was sure Polly had given up, she lay back on her bed and resigned herself to a _Friends_ marathon for the following hour.

"Piper!" Her mother's shrill tones travelling up the stairs drew her out of her sitcom-induced trance, informing her that there was someone at the door. A smile she hadn't even been aware of fell abruptly from her face when she found Polly on the other side of the door.

"I fucking knew you didn't have plans. Come on, Piper."

She didn't respond, instead turning around the face her mother who was lingering in the hallway.

"Thanks, mom. That's great."

The woman shrugged in response before disappearing into another room.

Piper turned back to face Polly, who was staring at her expectantly, her eyes occasionally darting down to the phone tightly clutched in her hand. When did she ever _not_ have her phone in her hand?

"I have plans, alright? Later. I don't want to go on your shitty double date."

"It's not a double date! Think of it as a... group hang."

"I would prefer a group _hanging_."

"Well-"

Someone cleared their throat.

"Sorry, am I interrupting?"

Piper nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of the familiar voice. She peered around Polly to find Alex leaning against the doorframe, peering at her over thick-framed glasses. She felt frozen in place, afraid that she might pass out when she caught Alex wink at her as she pushed her glasses up on to her head.

"Hey. Molly, is it?"

"Polly."

"Sure. Piper and I have plans, don't we, Piper?"

Piper was still staring blankly, somewhat mesmerised by the way the sleeves of Alex's leather jacket clung so tightly to her arms, whilst Polly stared at her as if she'd just confessed to murdering her entire family.

"... Yes."

"This is your date?" Polly asked, staring Alex up and down.

"Yes. My er, friend. Friend date." Piper spluttered, earning herself a suggestive eyebrow raise from the raven-haired girl.

"Alright. Fine. I'll just tell Larry you blew him off again."

"You can't blow off plans you didn't make."

"I'm just trying to be a good friend, Piper. I'll see you later."

Piper rolled her eyes dramatically, pulling a face at Alex as they watched Polly storm off.

"Nice seeing you again, Holly!"

"Fuck off!"

Alex turned back to see Piper covering her mouth with her hand, concealing a grin.

"What the fuck was that?" The blonde laughed eventually.

"That was me saving your ass from an afternoon of bonding over below-average guys and terrible music."

"My hero." She deadpanned back, the impenetrable smile on her face betraying her attempt at a cool demeanour.

They smiled at each other for a moment, still processing the bizarre altercation that had just taken place, before Alex seemed to remember why she'd decided to turn up at Piper's house unannounced.

"How about that coffee? You know, now it's daytime."

"Oh, god, yes."

* * *

><p>Watching Alex drive was much more entertaining that Piper might have thought. At first, she appreciated the little changes in her expression as she watched the road, or the way she ran her hands across the steering wheel in an act of pure affection for her truck. She then began to appreciate the middle finger stuck out of the window at the guy honking at her, or the screams at all the "fucking assholes who don't know how to fucking indicate". Either way, it was the most fun she'd ever had with someone who was practically a stranger in a beat-up old truck- you know, of all of the <em>one<em> times she'd been in that situation.

"How long have you had this thing?"

"Oh, forever. She was my mom's. Turns out it isn't the most practical form of transport for carting yourself around to three different jobs, so she had to get a car. Didn't have the heart to part with her, though."

She patted the wheel fondly before glancing over at Piper, who caught on to her shy smile. So, what did she know about Alex now? She knew that she was a hard-worker, she loved books, her mother and her truck, came from humble beginnings and had an affinity for leather. For the moment, that was enough.

Piper looked around in confusion when they pulled up somewhere she'd never seen before.

"No Starbucks?" She asked, earning herself an eye-roll and a scoff.

"Your parents own a freakin' indie bookstore, Piper. How can you go to Starbucks?"

"... Have you _met_ me?"

Alex only laughed as they each climbed out of the oversized red beast, heading towards the tiny coffee shop on the corner of the street.

"There's a lot of little gems in this city if you look for them," Alex explained, holding the door open for Piper, a tiny gesture that made the blonde happier than it probably would have, had it come from anyone else.

The place itself was small, in a cosy way, with a warm colour scheme and the soft scent of freshly brewed coffee in the air. It was homely, the walls lined with heavily stacked bookshelves- Piper was beginning to see a pattern in Alex's favourite places.

She watched in admiration as Alex made easy conversation with the woman behind the counter, speaking to her as if she was family, the woman's face lighting up with everything Alex said. It was enough to make her wonder if the way Alex made her feel was just _Alex_- maybe she had that affect on everyone. Maybe the whole world was falling in love with Alex Vause, and Piper was just late to the party.

* * *

><p>"Hey, can I ask you something?"<p>

Piper glanced up at Alex after hearing the unusually timid question. They'd finished their coffees almost an hour ago but had made no effort to move, conversation flowing so naturally between them that they were barely aware of time passing. She nodded in response.

"Okay, I- fuck," Alex laughed at herself, embarrassed, looking away for a moment.

"I'm not the girl that says shit like this, I'm not, but, what is this?"

"What is... what, exactly?"

She followed Alex's gaze down to their hands, which lay intertwined across the table between them. She hadn't even noticed them drifting together.

"I'm all for experimenting, Piper, you know, I all but preach that shit, but I don't like to be messed with. I don't have time for it."

She looked back up then, meeting Piper's gaze finally, a brief but heavy silence following.

"Stand up," was all Piper said in response, her tone void of any emotion, of anything that could have hinted at her reaction.

"What?"

"Just stand up."

Alex did so, stepping out from the table and meeting Piper in the middle.

"Wha-" She was cut off by Piper's lips against her own, her hands cupped around her cheeks, soft but insistent, nervous but sure. It took her a moment to react before she kissed her back, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist to pull her closer, a touch more intimate than any that had preceded it. Right in the middle of that damn coffee shop.

"Does that answer your question?" Piper whispered against her lips, whilst Alex blinked, dazed from the sudden kiss.

"I asked a question?"

Piper grinned. "You're an idiot."

"Ah," Alex smiled, still holding Piper close against her. "But I'm a _hot_ idiot. You said so yourself."

"Shut up."

"I should've made your coffee Irish. We'd be halfway through the Wizard of Oz soundtrack by now."


	6. AUTHORS NOTE

PLEASE DON'T KILL ME but this is not a new chapter, I'm still getting follows/reviews on this so I thought I'd let you know this story is on indefinite hiatus right now! I'm really sorry about this but I just ended up without a direction for it, and I've started another story called Restraint which I'm kinda throwing myself into. Thanks for all the love/support on this story and I'll try to pick it up again soon xo


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